We've had some rain here the last couple of days and right in the middle of our back yard we have a depression about 8 to 10 feet in diameter full of water now.
During supper today I looked out there and there was this young red tail hawk just having the time of his life flopping around in that muddy water.
We watched him for about 10 or 15 minutes and then he flew away.
Every now and then we see what I presume to be his parents high up in the tree next door and once the male parent lighted on our fence to watch the comings and goings on our bird feeders.

Beep said:
>heh, did you have no urge to join him? sounds like fun.
>
Nah, we just watched in amazement.
It's pretty rare that you get that close to a raptor in the wild, especially here in the suburbs.

DanSRose said:
>I am jealous. Very jealous. We have a red-tail hawk family that circles the campus (mmmm.... rabbits and squirrels), but I've never seen them up close.
>So, the important question: Pictures?
>
Alas, no pics - sorry

I was with my cousin behind my grandparents house plinking away at cans with a BB gun when a chicadee landed on our bird feeder. We sat and watched it eat for about 30 seconds. The thought struck us both at the same time and I took aim. My finger was inching to the trigger and the chicadee was just pecking away at the seeds. A puff of feathers and the chicadee was caught in the talons of a Peregrine Falcon. The Peregrine has been spotted a few times since then sitting in the oaks and maples.

So, I was walking back to my apartment, I think in April, and I passed by a small area, bricked off, with 2 trees. It's not very attractive, but it's a campus- forced nature in certain parts, trying to green-ify the brick color over the most area with the dorms and such. Anyway, I passed by this area and saw a squirrel. This squirrel was content, but struggling. In its tiny squirrel arms, it was trying, emphasis on trying, to eat a full sized strawberry pop tart. It was standing because its tiny squirrel were needed to support this endeavor.
It didn't even scurry away when I passed by. It would have had to leave the pop tart.
Funniest thing I've ever saw.

DanSRose said:
Anyway, I passed by this area and saw a squirrel. This squirrel was content, but struggling. In its tiny squirrel arms, it was trying, emphasis on trying, to eat a full sized strawberry pop tart. It was standing because its tiny squirrel were needed to support this endeavor.

: ) I love squirrel stories

I was attacked by a squirrel once. He was very sneaky and calculated about it too. After that episode, I quit doubting the plausibility of Jimmy Carter's hare raising experience of being attacked by a crazed swimming bunny rabbit, while he was canoeing.

ifihadahif said:
>DanSRose said:
>>I am jealous. Very jealous. We have a red-tail hawk family that circles the campus (mmmm.... rabbits and squirrels), but I've never seen them up close.
>>So, the important question: Pictures?
>>
>Alas, no pics - sorry
>
Your story is our picture. Thans for that ifihadhif. :-)